Managerial Career
Simeone ended his playing career for Racing, playing his last match on February 17, 2006, and then became manager for the same team. After a rough start, the team made an impressive finish in the 2006 Clausura. When ownership of the club changed hands, Simeone left Racing in May 2006 and was replaced with Reinaldo Merlo. On May 18, he became head coach of Estudiantes de La Plata and soon led them to their first League title in 23 years after defeating Boca Juniors 2–1 in a final match played December 13, 2006. In an October 2006 poll in the sports daily Ole, Simeone was voted as the best manager in the Argentine league. He was also praised as a "born manager" by former Argentine international Roberto Perfumo. Simeone left Estudiantes after the end of the 2007 Apertura, where Estudiantes was not a contender after a bad start, but had a strong finish of nine lossless games. On December 15, 2007 Simeone was unveiled as the new River Plate coach, succeeding Daniel Passarella. The contract was reported to be a year long, starting on January 3, 2008. After an early elimination in the Copa Libertadores losing to San Lorenzo in the second round, Simeone and River Plate went on to win the 2008 Clausura championship after beating Olimpo 2–1 in the Monumental. On November 7, 2008 Simeone announced his resignation as coach of River Plate after their elimination at the Quarter-final stage of Copa Sudamericana 2008 by the Mexican team Chivas and a poor run of form of 11 domestic games without a win which left them bottom of the Primera División Argentina with only six games remaining. On April 15, 2009 Simeone joined San Lorenzo to replace Miguel Angel Russo, following the club's exit in the first round of Copa Libertadores 2009. On April 3, 2010 the coach quit San Lorenzo due poor results and mounting criticism. On January 19, 2011, Simeone flew to Sicily to join Serie A side, Catania, replacing Marco Giampaolo who left the club just hours earlier. On June 1, 2011, he left his post after helping Catania stave off relegation. On June 21, 2011, Simeone was named as the new coach of Racing Club for a second spell in charge, replacing Miguel Ángel Russo who had resigned the prior week.
On December 23, 2011, Simeone was unveiled as the new Atlético Madrid coach, succeeding Gregorio Manzano. On May 9, 2012, Simeone won the UEFA Europa League with Atlético Madrid beating Athletic Bilbao 3–0. On August 31, 2012 he won UEFA Super Cup with same team beating Chelsea 4–1, earning his first two European trophies.
Read more about this topic: Diego Simeone
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